The Joby/L3Harris hybrid electric VTOL aircraft. (Joby photo)
WASHINGTON — Electric aircraft startup Joby Aviation has agreed to acquire the military technology firm Resonant Sciences and convert the Dayton, Ohio-based company into Joby’s dedicated defense business, the two companies announced today.
The $500 million acquisition consists of roughly $450 million in cash and $50 million in Joby common stock, according to a joint press release from both companies. The transaction is expected to close “in the first half of 2027,” subject to regulatory approval.
Joby is one of several electric air taxi services racing to market targeting point-to-point shuttling in urban environments — an ambition broadly slowed by developmental challenges and regulatory hurdles. The company was one of several vendors that previously pitched all-electric air vehicles to military users, but testing with the US Air Force found that fully electrified aircraft lacked the range necessary for more demanding defense missions.
However, Joby hasn’t given up on Pentagon contracts. The company said its acquisition of Resonant — which manufactures radio frequency (RF) and mission systems, among other technologies — aims to exploit “a broader shift in defense priorities toward” low-cost autonomous aircraft that feature resilient communications, sensing and electronic countermeasures.
